Bob Moch, at 90, Olympic medalist

By Associated Press | January 22, 2005

ISSAQUAH, Wash. -- Bob Moch, coxswain of the University of Washington eight-oared crew that defeated Italy and Germany to win the gold in front of Adolf Hitler at the 1936 Olympic Games, has died. He was 90.

Mr. Moch, a retired lawyer, had a stroke Jan. 7 at his apartment and died Tuesday at a care facility on the Sammamish Plateau, according to his wife, LaVerne.

In 1936, Mr. Moch and his crew were in Lane 6 -- the lane with the choppiest water and farthest from the starter -- for the climactic race on Lake Grunau in Berlin.

The team did not hear the start and were in last place with less than half of the 2,000-meter race remaining. But Mr. Moch rallied his teammates and the crew passed Germany in the last 10 strokes to win by 0.6 seconds over second-place Italy.

Born and reared in Montesano, Mr. Moch coached crew at MIT while he attended law school at Harvard. Returning to Seattle, he practiced law for 55 years there. He served as a rowing steward for Washington for many years.